You There! Yes, You!

It's been all research, info, research, opinion, research on the blog lately. Let's do something different. Let's put the Spotlight on YOU.

Tell me something about yourself, your blog, your web site, your book or WIP - anything! If you read Lit Rambles but never comment, I'd LOVE it if you stepped out of lurkdom for a moment to say Hi! Hey, even if you're stopping by the blog for your first time today, feel free to pop into the comments to promote yourself or just touch bases with some other reader/writer types.

Want to help propel the getting-to-know-youness? After you tell us something about yourself or your work, throw out a general question for people to answer.

52 comments:

Okay, I am stepping out of lurkdom! I found your blog because you were featured on Alice's CWIM blog, and now I check yours every day. I just finished my first YA novel and while I'm waiting for feedback from a few of my most trusted friends, I've been researching agents and queries like crazy. So. Your Agent Spotlight and Agent research posts have been awesome!Okay, here's a question I'll throw out there for others: How soon after you finish one project do you dive into the next one? I've got another idea, but am only in that fun, brainstorming and taking notes stage. Seems like I need to completely finish my first novel (as in revise and get queries out) before I dive into writing the next. How do you all out there do it?

*waves hello!* You know I read, but... :) Let's see...I found your blog through Alice's blog, too, although I think I'd seen you around the blogosphere before--it's just that her blog made me subrscribe to your feeder asap. :)

Kirbyjessi: In response to your question: I've found (through time and practice) that I can only work on one project at a time. So I usually dedicate myself to one project from start to finish. When I finish writing, though, I start to think of new ideas. I try to force myself to wait until I'm done with revisions, but I don't always...and then the un-revised works whither away...

As for your question, I used to start a new novel as soon as I got the idea for it, but I started getting into a pattern of never finishing anything. So, I've forced myself not to start anything new while working on my current project, and I'm extending that through revisions. I'm afraid I'll never come back to it if I do! So, I've been keeping my ideas on a document and will brain storm if I'm in procrastination mode, but I won't start writing until I'm querying my current one.

I also found you through Alice's blog! I primarily write picture books. I'm working on getting my first one published. It's a bilingual story called "Does Your Nose Remember?" I live in Ohio and I'm planning on attending a conference in Columbus in October. My question is, have you ever paid to have a manuscript critiqued by a professional? I'm thinking of doing this at this conference and I'm wondering about others experience with it. Thank you! Love your blog!

See, Rebecca, I don't think I knew you write picture books! I love that your current project-of-focus is bilingual. Seems like there is a good market for bilingual works.

I haven't paid for a critique, personally. I might if it was someone I had a lot of respect for (an agent, editor, or author that makes me feel all fangirly, for example - lol) and I could afford it.

On a similar note, I recently looked at a book doctor service that Sarah Davies had offered a testimonial for (found it during my research on her), which peeked my curiosity. But, it was $3000 for a novel-length doctoring!

I read this blog almost every day and think it's fabulous. As I'm currently working on a YA ms (and have finished a MG ms), I love the "agent spotlight" each week. It's great to find a site that highlights agents who represent juvenile material. Thanks!

There must be something in the air... just today I was thinking about doing this type of post.

Hmm...I honestly have no clue how I discovered your blog. I think you stopped by Write Chic (formerly Originals) and I, in turn, stopped over here.

I write something that changes between historical romance, and historical mystery with romantic elements. I'm trying to finish up my MS before a national conference next week. I'll be able to answer the next project question once I finish this one! ;)

Question for everyone: Do you like to write ensemble casts of characters or do you like to focus on one main person?

I think you're right, Steph. I discovered The Originals through Mary on AW and started commenting occasionally. Love the new Write Chic look!

I've been wondering about your progress on your MS. Are you going to finish in time?

For your question, I LOVE reading books with a unique cast of characters but I don't think I'm very good at it. I have a tendency to focus on my MC. I'm certainly trying to have a good cast of characters in my current MS though.

Did you say promote yourself...well, I would never!! Okay, who am I kidding, of course I would!! I'm a YA & MG Fantasy writer. I'm working on a YA Fantasy right now, about dead people, yes, you heard right, dead people! It's a YA Fantasy/Black Comedy, with a little mystery and romance. I'm really loving it! I'm also doing a sequel to my 1st novel on sub, which is going well. I live in Chicago, the city of big shoulders!

Hmmm...as for a good question...Who inspired you to put pen to paper (or laptop)? My first inspiration would have to be Gregory Maguire.

Peek. Hi, Casey! I love your blog, particularly the agent interviews. But I've never commented. Shame on me. I found you through Verla's. What a wealth of information. About me: let's see. I write picture and chapter books and I dabble in mid-grade novels. I periodically write poetry and stories for magazines, and I absolutely love writing contests, no matter if they're related to kid lit. That's it! Hope your writing is going well and that you don't spend all your time being helpful to the rest of us! :) I promise I'll try to comment more in the future.

Something about me? Brie cheese, red wine, and strong coffee are three of my favorite guilty pleasures! And my second book comes out this October (since you mentioned promotion). I'm getting really excited for THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD!

Hiya, Casey! I'm skipping over from Verla's, and I'm a terrible lurker... but here I am at last! I live in Austin, TX, write MGs and PBs (mostly humorous) and essays on parenting. So far, the essays are all that's selling, but I won a big MS contest recently, so I have hope for my novels!LOVE your blog, and the agent profiles are very useful....(ooh ooh! PJ Hoover lives in Austin, too! And now her comment and mine will be next to each other. How exciting! Hi, PJ!)

Hi! I'll delurk. I really enjoy the blog and have fun reading. I also love all things writing. Revising I hate revising. I keep putting it off. I've gotten some great feedback lately--that's helped so much, but still I stress.

About me: I love to write, I'm a mom of three little ones, and I love to read. Those are the basics.

Hi Casey,I think I found your blog when you visited my blog (thanks for that BTW). Now, I too visit your blog with every new post - I really like to agent spotlight. After reading Marietta Zacker's spotlight I decided to query her based on her answers and she requested a full of my middle grade novel...we'll see!

I write middle grade and am obviously in query-land right now. I have even made a book trailer to help increase my chances of landing an agent or generating some sort of buzz about my book. The trailer is actually on my blog right now. You are cordially invited to check it out.

Hi Casey! I found your blog through Verla's boards, too!I'm Kelly, and I write poetry, picture books and am almost finished with my first chapter book.I have poetry and/or word puzzles in some magazines, and I am subbing my PB MS's right now.I also love music!

Hey Casey! I found your blog via the Blueboards a while ago, and I have read through the agent spotlights with interest. Thanks so much for those!

I write mostly MG & YA, but I do have one odd chapter book in the depths of my 'puter, too. Usually fantasy, but not epic. No idea what current (YA) WIP is, though; I call it urban-contemporary-historical. :-D

Kirbyjessi, for me it usually takes a while to get into a new story, mostly because I tend to mull over the story in my head for at least a couple of weeks before I put anything on paper.

Hi kbaccellia! I love that you and others have stepped out of lurkdom. Don't be afraid to come out more often. : ) I don't bite. I promise.

Good luck on your MG shopping! It's sounds like you aren't having a whole lot of luck just yet but take heart in the "good news" stories when they come and keep doing everything you can to improve your MS and get it out there.

Also, I keep trying to check out your blog but I'm getting an error. I'll try again later.

I also found your blog through Verla's, and have been following you pretty silently since then. I'd normally have been more vocal (so to speak), but Life has been busy. :)

I have two completed YA novels, though one of those I wouldn't exactly want anyone to see. :) I'm working on a MG that's been stewing in my brain for seven years, and I finally figured out how to write it. :) I also have a blog that focuses on the craft of writing, and for the rest of the year I'm giving away books each month.

To answer Hilary's question, no one inspired me to write because I thought I would stink at it. Then a high school English teacher made the whole class write a poem, and we'd be *graded* on it! I was terrified, but I did it. And found that I loved it, so I kept writing. Been doing it ever since. :)

Hey Tabitha! You've commented here and there (I appreciate it!) and I definitely understand life being busy and all.

I LOVE your layout. So simple, yet unique and savvy. I'm beginning to think I need something more along those lines.

Good luck on those novels of yours, especially this MG you've waited so long on! And hey, I think we all have one or more that we don't want anyone to see. I consider them to be like battle wounds that prove our experience in the field. ;)

Hey Tabitha! I'm always on the lookout for layouts. I have a list of things I like them to have, so it's hard for me to find good matches! That's what I get for being picky. Hopefully I'll find the right one eventually.

Coonhound? Awesome. i love how they bark. And their ears. We looked at a coonhound at the SPCA (canadian equivalent of the humane society) before we decided to get Linus. His name was Jethro and I've thought about him a lot. Cool dog.

And yes, Linus is much more famous than me. You're pretty funny yourself, thanks. : )

Hi Casey - sorry, I just saw your question to me today. Not in any obvious way, but I think it influences everything in my life so it has a small part - but being that my current ms is urban fantasy/sci-fi, I think readers will just see "pure sci-fi" which is fine with me. Thanks again - it's a great blog!

That's great Kristi! I'm always fascinated how life experiences and interests do or don't play into a writer's novels. I think a lot of our personal experience and interests can sneak in subconsciously since that's what we know and love.

Have I mentioned that I love your blog? I don't always comment, although I try not to be a lurker!

Something about me? When my husband first told me that he lived in Solvang, I laughed. People actually live there? I thought it was just a tourist trap! Now I love this quirky little town and I beg him not to move :)

I love to write, but the more I learn, the less I feel I know. Aaagghh!!